


All Dolled Up

by NotADragon



Category: Figure Skating RPF
Genre: F/M, Fluff, One Shot, jealous!Scott
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-02
Updated: 2018-06-02
Packaged: 2019-05-17 03:02:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,869
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14823983
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NotADragon/pseuds/NotADragon
Summary: The third time Jordan asked her, Tessa said okay. Sometimes the cost of sisterhood was giving up an evening at home. Then she put her phone on the boards and skated back to Scott. It was all too easy to get caught up and entirely forget about her new Friday night plans.Comeback era one shot.





	All Dolled Up

The first time Jordan asked her, Tessa said no. She wasn’t interested. The second time Jordan asked her, Tessa said no. She was busy. She didn’t have time. The third time Jordan asked her, Tessa said okay. She put it in her calendar for later in the week and accepted that sometimes the cost of sisterhood was giving up an evening at home. Then she put her phone on the boards and skated back to Scott.

He was chatting with Patch, but he reached his arm back as he heard her approach. His body shifted open towards her and she took the invitation to tuck herself into his side with his arm wrapping around waist.

Their conversation continued on despite her arrival.

“ – should be pretty quiet all week,” Patch said.

“It’s a good thing then that World’s wasn’t exactly strenuous for us this year,” Scott said. “We’ll keep you company until everyone else comes back from vacation.”

“This year. Next year will be a different story. Anyways, I’ll let you two get back to it.”

Patch turned and headed back to the office, leaving Scott to turn to her.

“All good kiddo?”

“Yup,” she replied.

And then, just because she could, she wound her arms around his neck, snuggling into him. Even though they had decided on the comeback months ago and had already settled into their Montreal routine, she still liked to just take in the feeling of getting to be with him every day again. She’d missed it during their ‘retirement’. She didn’t want to take it for granted this time. And since no one else had come straight back to Montreal from Boston, she didn’t have to feel bad about wasting ice time to just hug. It was all too easy to just forget about her sister’s texts.

Their breathing had long since synced when he finally broke the silence. “Should we skate a little more?”

She pulled back and was greeted by her favourite smile, the one he saved just for her.

“I suppose.”

His right hand slid up her back and his left hand took her right. Squaring her shoulders back and down, she rested her free hand on his shoulder. The stereo was off, but it didn’t matter. They spun around the ice, loosely approximating the golden waltz they had long since forgotten the true steps of. Scott guided her through twirls and turns, making it up as they went. Tessa didn’t care. She was just happy to be where she belonged – in his arms on the ice.

 

 

***

 

 

Post Pilates on Friday, there was nothing Tessa wanted more than a shower. She dropped her water bottle and keys on her kitchen island and headed straight for her bathroom. As she walked, she pulled out her ponytail with one hand, checking her phone with the other. A text from her mom. A couple of emails. A calendar reminder… crap. She’d totally forgotten. With even more haste, she stripped out of her workout clothes and hopped in the shower. Doing the mental math, she figured she should have just enough time to get ready and to the restaurant without being late assuming she didn’t stand basking in the warmth of the water for too long.

She dried off and tucked the towel around herself, not bothering to change into sweats for a whole twenty minutes. Drying her hair was step one. Picking out an outfit before deciding on make-up was step two. Tessa didn’t really know the vibe of the place they were going to, so she grabbed a little black dress and laid it out on the bed. A classic. A black dress went with any level of décor. Returning to her en suite, she turned on her straightener and brushed her teeth while it heated up. She sectioned her hair, pinning up the top half, and paused to turn on an oldie’s playlist on her Spotify before starting to curl. The monotony of the task was calming and soon she relaxed enough to dance while she worked.

Tessa didn’t realize he had come in until his reflection appeared in the mirror beside her. She jumped back in terror, almost ripping her hair out in the process. Unwinding her hair and setting the straighter down, she clutched her chest in an attempt to calm her breathing. Scott reached up to rub her shoulder in apology at which time she remembered she was in nothing but a towel. Watching him in the mirror, she realized the exact moment he realized it too. His gaze dragged down her body before snapping back up as he withdrew he hand.

“You know, I never mind you letting yourself in.” She had to raise her voice to be heard over her music. “But you could at least call out and give a girl a little warning.”

“I did. You just couldn’t hear me, I guess.” He gestured towards her phone and she took the hint to pause the music.

She just had just two or three curls left to go. As she started to fix the piece that had been interrupted by his arrival, Scott plucked at a finished curl.

“You didn’t realize we had a dress code for dinner tonight. I hope I can get an out since I am the cook and all.”

He was just in jeans and a black t-shirt, but taking in the sight of him in the mirror, Tessa still thought he looked damn good. She always thought he looked good whatever the dress code. Stepping back, he leaned against the linen closet door while she worked.

“I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be sorry,” he said. “I like when you get all dolled up T, even if it’s just to eat on the couch.”

She broke eye contact and fought the blush threatening to break through. “No, I’m sorry because I can’t do dinner with you tonight. I have plans. I’d forgotten all about it until like half an hour ago.”

“Plans?”

Tessa stalled, checking all the curls were going to hold. She unplugged her straightening iron and hairsprayed her whole head to keep it intact through the evening.

“Yeah.” She didn’t look at him as she stepped past him out of the bathoom. “Dinner plans.”

She could feel him following behind her despite his silent footsteps. She was so damn attuned to him. It was surprising to her that he had managed to sneak in without her instinctively knowing.

“Dinner plans,” he repeated. “With who?”

She sat down at her vanity where her makeup was all spread out across the top haphazardly. It was the one disorganized spot in her bedroom. Picking up a brush and popping the top off her foundation, she got to work.

“A friend of Jordan’s.”

“Oh yeah?” His voice was off. When she looked up in the mirror, she saw he had made himself at home. He was splayed out on top of her tufted white duvet, resting back on his elbows, eyeing the dress lying beside him. “Which one?”

“No one we know. Someone she went to university with who lives here now. She thought we should meet since we’re both in Montreal and all.”

“Jordan’s worried you can’t make your own friends?” She could hear the skepticism drenched in his words.

“Uhh, no, not uh um,” Tessa stammered, unsure how to answer that. Well, actually she did know how to answer it, but just didn’t want to. She focused instead on not stabbing herself in the eye with her mascara wand.

The silence grew and grew, stifling the room.

“It’s a date,” he stated. It wasn’t a question.

“It’s dinner. With an old friend of Jordan’s.”

“A date,” he repeated.

She leaned in to narrow her field of vision, focusing on applying her lipstick, resolutely not glancing at him. His flat tone told her exactly what he thought about her plans.

“What’s his name?”

There was no point in her not answering at that point. “John.”

“Where’s he taking you?”

“He’s not taking me anywhere. I’m meeting him there.”

Scott muttered something that Tessa couldn’t quite make out. She figured that was probably for the best and let it slide.

Satisfied with her makeup, she stood up and turned to face him. He’d collapsed flat onto his back, eyes glued to the ceiling. He was clenching his jaw. That never boded well.

“I’m sorry about tonight. I honestly forgot or I would have let you know sooner.”

He didn’t respond.

“I need to get dressed now or I’m going to be late.”

“Okay.” He didn’t move.

“Scott,” she sighed.

He peeked up at her.

“This is my bedroom, remember? I get dressed here. Can you –” she nodded her head towards the door.

“Oh right.”

Sheepishly, he rolled off the bed and stood up. His eyes met hers and she could practically see his thoughts racing. He opened his mouth as if to speak, but snapped it closed again. Coming to some kind of decision with himself, he gripped both her shoulders and kissed her cheek.

“Have a good dinner.”

“Thanks.”

But he was already walking away and didn’t turn back.

She stared after him even after he went out of view. A few moments later, she heard her front door open and close again. She hoped he would hold on to the polite attitude he was so clearly trying for at the end instead of going home to sulk, but she didn’t have time to dwell on him. Picking up her dress, she caught sight of the clock. Crap, she was going to be late after all.

 

She wasn’t. Tessa was just on time when she walked up to the hostess. She gave her last name, knowing her sister had been the one to actually make the reservation. The restaurant wasn’t overly big, but the two-story ceiling gave it an open feel. Black metal chandeliers gave off a warm glow, but didn’t significantly brighten the room. The hostess led her around the centre bar surrounded by plush red barstools to a table on the far side.

John was already there and stood as she approached. He was tall and well dressed like he had come straight from the office in a full navy suit and white dress shirt with the top button undone. His blond hair was cut short, but it suited him, showing off great cheekbones. Right down to the bright blue eyes, he was certainly textbook handsome.

“Tessa?”

“Hi.” She gave him a polite hug, light hands on backs the only points of contact.

“It’s easy to see the family resemblance,” he said as they sat. “Even if Jordan hadn’t been sending me pictures, I would have recognized you easily.”

Tessa blanched. “Pictures? No, she hasn’t, has she?”

He laughed. “She’s been pretty enthusiastic about tonight.”

“I’ll say,” Tessa agreed.

He offered her the wine menu, but she demurred, briefly referencing her training. When the waitress came around, he followed her lead and just asked for ice water.

“Oh, please, don’t hold back on my account,” she insisted. “I didn’t mean to stop you, but I just can’t have any tonight myself.”

“It’s fine,” he said easily. “It’s not like I was planning on getting drunk tonight. It’s just dinner.”

John had indeed come straight from the office, he told her, but left his tie in the car. A lawyer, he specialized in international law, but didn’t get into details, promising he didn’t want to bore her. Instead, he got her talking about her skating, and asked follow up questions to show he was actually engaged in what she said. He was polite and charming and everything Tessa would theoretically have described in a good date.

The conversation was good all evening, nothing deep but never awkward. The meal came and went and it was all perfectly fine. When she offered to split the bill, he said he was happy to treat, but didn’t kick up a further fuss when she insisted. They’d both parked behind the restaurant, so they walked out together.

“I had a good time tonight,” he said. They hovered behind a minivan parked between their cars as they said their goodbyes. “If you want to do this again, I’ll give you my number so that Jordan doesn’t have to keep making the reservations.”

She smiled, genuinely, but shook her head. “Tonight was nice, and I see why you and Jordan are friends. But I’m sorry, I’m really not looking to date right now.”

“I understand. I’m just not the guy who can sweep you off your feet and ruin your resolve,” he joked. There was no bitterness in his response. He really was perfectly nice. If she had been looking to find a new guy, Jordan had made a solid choice for her. But Tessa wasn’t looking for anyone new.

“No,” she said softly. “I’m sorry, you aren’t. It was nice meeting you though.”

“Have a good night, Tessa.”

“You too.”

They shared another light, quick hug and went to their separate cars. She dropped her heels onto the passenger side and slipped into her driving flats. Not bothering to check her phone, she threw her car in reverse and headed out. She made it home in good time, traffic having thinned out with rush hour long gone, and pulled into her spot in the condo’s parking garage. She slipped her heels back on (her flats were never to leave the car in case she forgot to put them back again) and got out. Walking past Scott’s car, she scanned her fob to get into the building and didn’t think twice about which floor to press in the elevator.

Keys out, she knocked to announce herself, but just let herself in without waiting on him. Scott was on his couch, where she had expected him to be, but he barely looked up when she walked in. Dammit. Tessa resisted the urge to sigh at his lack of response. She was going to have to fix this. Stepping out of her heels, she checked the score on the TV. 2-1 and not in the Leafs’ favour. That wasn’t going to help anything. She couldn’t catch a break apparently.

Scott’s couch was huge and meant for lounging in comfort. He was stretched out on the chaise portion of the sectional, leaving tons of open space. She plopped herself down right next to him, stretching her legs out alongside his. When he didn’t make any move to accommodate her like he normally would, she picked up his arm herself and draped it around her shoulders. He didn’t look away from the game, didn’t say a word, but he curled his hand around her bicep. Better than nothing at least. There were only a few minutes left in the game, so she was content to wait it out.

The Leafs did not manage to stage a comeback (unsurprisingly). Summary statistics flashed on the screen before it switched to a west coast game.

“How was dinner?”  

She didn’t need to look up to know he was keeping his attention fixed on the screen. He didn’t even care about the Oilers, she knew that too.

“Fine,” she said, keeping her tone light. “We should go there sometime when we’re not stuck on a B2Ten approved diet. There was a lamb burger that the table beside us ordered that I’m pretty sure you’d love.”

He hummed noncommittally in response.

He was leaving her no option. The direct route was all that was left.

“Can we please talk about this Scott?”

“Talk about what?” he replied evenly.

She raised her eyebrows and waited until he finally turned to take in her expression, looking at her for real for the first time she since walked in.

“Scott. Please don’t be like this. Talk to me.”

He tensed up, even more than he already was. “I don’t know what you want me to say.”

“I don’t want you to just say something. I want you to _talk_ to me.” She was getting frustrated, but did her best to keep it out of her voice. They needed to communicate, like they had worked so hard at for years. “I went out to dinner, and you went out and bought a six pack,” she said, gesturing at the beer on the end table. “I know you didn’t have that in your fridge yesterday.”

He peeled his arm off of her and stood up. Grabbing the beer and his dinner dishes, he headed for his kitchen. She twisted, turning backwards on the couch to watch him.

“What? So you can totally break your meal plan on a date, but my drinking is the problem?”

“I had a salad and the fish, it’s not like –” She was getting defensive and cut herself off. “That’s not the point.”

“It was half a beer,” he grumbled, pouring the rest down the drain in show.

“That’s not the point either.” She got up and joined him in the kitchen, arms crossed as she leaned against the fridge. “I went to dinner, and you had a beer. That’s the point.”

He rinsed off his plate and cutlery before opening the dishwasher to load it. “It’s a game night. A beer on game night is normal.”

“You really want to pretend that’s all it was?” she demanded. “Really, Scott?”

“Well, you seem to want to pretend it was just dinner.” He didn’t raise his voice at her, and if she was less annoyed at him, she would have been impressed with how much he had grown in the last couple years. In years gone by, he would have been yelling by this point. “It was a date.”

“What’s the difference?” She knew exactly what the difference was.

“We agreed. No distractions. And you just –,” he waved his hands in the air instead of finishing his sentence with words.

“You’re not seriously accusing me of not taking the comeback seriously over one damn dinner right now, are you?” Her restraint was fraying rapidly. Scott ran his hands through his hair, but didn’t correct her.

“Okay, you know what? Fine. If you’re going to be like that, then I’m wasting my time. Go ahead and tell yourself that this is about me and my commitment to a meal plan or whatever. Pretend there’s nothing else going on here, just like you’ve been doing for months.”

That got his attention, she saw it in his reaction, his back stiffening. But she gave him a couple seconds and he still didn’t say anything. Surrendering, she turned to hightailed it out of there. She snatched up her heels and left barefoot, barely keeping herself from slamming the door behind her in frustration. As she waited for the elevator, a part of her still expecting his door to open, for him to come after her. He didn’t. She got in and hit the button for the next floor down.

Back in her own condo, she took a moment to collect herself. That was not how she had wanted things to go. Obviously. Not that anything had really been planned. She hadn’t even considered how Scott was going to react when she finally gave in to Jordan, which was probably short-sighted of her. But she knew things had been different between them for months now. Certainly they were better together now than during retirement when they barely saw each other or during the mess leading up to Sochi. They were better really than at any point in their past. It was more than just that though. It felt different now.

And it was just one dinner. She figured he knew her well enough, knew them well enough, that he shouldn’t be freaking out at all. All Tessa had been doing was trying to appease her sister. It shouldn’t have changed anything. Or, if he really thought she might want to date other people, it would have been the perfect time for him to actually speak up. But no. She somehow got neither of those situations. No, she got stuck with a resurgence of jealous, grumpy, sullen Scott of years gone past refusing to actually talk about what was right in front of them. Her only consolations were that he didn’t yell and half a beer was a damn sight better than a whole bottle of Jack.

She wasn’t looking forward to the morning. Who knew what Scott she would be stuck dealing with after he stewed all night, but there was nothing she could do about it at that point. Taking a deep breath, she tried to relax. It was futile, she knew that, but she slowly let out all the air in her lungs, trying anyways.

Her heels were returned to their rightful spot on the shoe rack in the hall closet. She unzipped her dress, slipping out of it on the way back to her bedroom. She turned it inside out and zipped it back up before putting it in the hamper, ready to be washed. Shedding her bra, she put on pajama shorts and an oversized shirt. Her rings and earrings came off, returned to her jewelry box on top of her dresser.

Her night time routine was basically on autopilot. She pinned back her curls with a clip so she could wash her makeup off. The water was running as she scrubbed her face clean and she just barely heard the knocking. She dried off quickly and let the facecloth drop back onto the counter instead of returning it to the towel rack as she hurried to the door.

Tessa knew it was him before she opened the door and she was damn glad about it too. Just the same, she blocked the entrance with her body as she opened up. If she was wrong and he had come down to just keep fighting instead of fix this, she wasn’t having any of it.

He had his hands tucked in his pockets, shoulders slumped, tension gone and no sign of anger.

“I’m sorry Tess.”

The magic words. She swung the door open and stepped aside to let Scott in. Her instinct was to throw herself into his embrace (that was always her first instinct), but she resisted. They needed to fix this first. 

She closed the door, and turned to find he hadn’t gone far, hadn’t even stepped off the doormat.

“I was jealous. I’m sorry T.”

Finally. They were getting somewhere. Tessa almost sighed in relief, until she tuned in to what he said next.

“And I know I have no right to be jealous – ” Wait. What. “So I was trying to deal with it. But I should have said that instead of getting short with you or trying to throw it back at you or your choices. You have every right to date whoever you want.”

Tessa’s eyes grew wider and wider, eyebrows approaching her hairline, jaw headed for the floor. That was really what he thought, the honesty radiating out of every pore. Again, Tessa had not seen this coming.

She pitched herself forward, needing a minute and needing him in equal parts. She buried her head against him, forehead pressing into his collarbone.

“I know Tess. I’m sorry,” he murmured against the top of her head. He drew her closer to him and she wrapped her arms around his neck, more out of frustration than anything else. They always said they knew each other better than they knew themselves. Apparently not.

For months, they had been dancing around each other not just in terms of their professional work. It was obvious how he felt about her. He never was any good at hiding his feelings. But she thought for once that she had been equally clear since the comeback started. Frankly, she thought she had been almost too needy, practically as clingy as she had been after the move to Canton. Except now instead of an overwhelmed 15 year old who missed home needing the boy from home, she was a 26 year just seeking time with the man who felt like her home. As much time as possible. But apparently, he hadn’t got the message.

He kept going, whispering what she could only describe as ‘absurdities’ as he stroked her hair. “You’ve been so good to me Tess. You took me back after everything I did. After Marina and Sochi and all the bars and beers and bottles. You deserve everything. I’ll do better, I promise. I’ll get over it. I won’t stand in your way. I shouldn’t have thrown the ‘no distractions’ commitment back at you. I know you’ll always be fully committed to skating, dating or not.”

She wanted to shake him. To scream in frustration. The whole thing was quite frankly beyond ridiculous to her. She didn’t know why he was digging up the past to begin with, and then he completely omitted how she had been equally awful to him at times. And he seemed to entirely skip over the part where she thought they had worked past all that. But it was his last sentiment that stirred her to finally cut him off.

“It was dinner,” she corrected, except it came out muffled against his shirt.  

“What T?”

She pressed her hands into his shoulders, squaring off in front of him. He shifted his hands to keep a light hold on her hips.

“I said ‘It was dinner’.”

“You keep saying ‘dinner’, Tess. It was a date. It’s okay – that’s what I’m trying to tell you. You went on a date. Why can’t you just admit that?” He was being so earnest and yet he was so far off the mark.

“Because I don’t want to date anyone, Scott. Don’t you get that? I don’t want to date John or anyone else. I came home to you tonight. Like I do every night. I just want to be with you.”

He cocked his head, considering her, examining her, trying to figure her out. As if she wasn’t being clear enough.

Well, she knew how she could be clearer.

Lacing both hands into his hair, she pulled him to her and kissed him. She kissed him with fervor and passion and the desire to get him on the same fucking page already. And he responded, tongue slipping into her mouth, causing her to moan into him. It had been much too long since they last did this. But the difference between this kiss and all the ones they had ever shared before it was that she was pretty damn sure that this time it wouldn’t be the last time. Before, every kiss could have been the last. It was always messy and they weren’t ready for how big things were always going to be between them. But that was then and this was now and she was ready and she knew he was ready and this was really just the beginning.

Until he stopped. He pulled back and pushed her back and put a full foot of distance between them, just barely keeping his hands on her hips.

“Stop Tess. We can’t.”

“Why?!” she basically screamed, caught up in the moment. She immediately held up her hands in apology. “Sorry. But why?”

“Because I love you T,” he confessed. “And I know it now in the way I never did before. I love you and I want everything with you and I can’t just do sex again. Not just because it blew up so spectacularly the last time, but because I can’t pretend anymore that I don’t want more than that with you.”

Tessa just stared at him. She really could not possibly understand how he was still so wrong about her feelings. She loved what he had said, really. It was big and sweet and reassuring, except for the fact that it missed the point still. Realizing that she had been quiet for too long, she snapped out of it.

“Okay,” she said simply.

“Okay?”

“Okay.”

“Okay, you understand? We can’t do this?”

“No,” she shook her head fervently. That was not at all what she was saying. “Okay as in okay to more than sex. To everything.” She was not at her most eloquent, but all she wanted at this point was to be done with this conversation and to save the talking for later or tomorrow or whenever. After all, they had time.

“But Tess,” he pushed back, “You just said you don’t want to date anyone.”

“Yes.”

“So how can we have everything when you don’t want to date me?” He was confused, tottering on the brink of heartbroken.

She took both his hands in hers, letting them swing between them. She caressed his knuckles, thumbs brushing across them, before weaving their fingers together, accepting she was going to have to do a little bit more talking tonight after all.

“You’re not ‘anyone’, Scott. We’re not other people. How would we ever even date? We spend all our time together. We’re practically cohabitating already. We have a freaking marriage councillor. We’re past dating. Or we’ve basically already been dating. I mean, our go-to evening plans are always dinner and a movie. We don’t need to date. We just have to decide to be together, for real. I want everything. I want it all. I just want to _be_ _with you_.”

“Oh.”

She laughed softly, and leaned forward, nuzzling his nose with hers.

“And it’s okay that you were jealous tonight. But you just need to talk to me, always, please. It’s just us. Don’t forget that.”

He reached back and took the clip out to releasing her curls, so he could bury his hands in her hair. He kicked his shoes off and she heard them hit the door behind her.  

“I’m sorry,” he murmured, closing them remaining gap between them. She pressed closer to him, chest, hips, everything, as their lips met again.

“Don’t be.” She spoke in between kisses, always coming back to him. “I love you.”

He kissed her lips, her cheeks, her nose, her neck, everywhere he could reach while his hands roamed, claiming the rest of her.

“Love you too Tess.”

They made their way backwards towards her bedroom, never parting along the way. But, much to her annoyance, Scott stopped their progress at the threshold.

He brushed the hair back away from her cheeks and cradled her face with both hands.  

“This is really it, isn’t it.” It wasn’t a question, just a statement of wonder and awe.

Scott looked at her with such reverence that Tessa felt her heart constrict. She was so damn lucky to have him.

“Yeah,” she whispered. “It is.”

  
***

 

 

“Hold up,” Tessa said, already skating away.

Her phone was loud, but she still just barely heard it over the rink’s music. She read the caller id as she was already swiping to accept the call – Jordan.

“Hey sis.”

She pressed the phone closer to her ear, but still didn’t quite make out the response. Tapping the volume button up, she asked her sister to repeat herself.

“I said – ” the music cut out at that moment so Jordan was basically screaming in her ear. Tessa hurriedly turned the volume down again. “ – hi.”

“Hi,” Tessa repeated.

She looked over to see Scott stepping out of the sound booth.

“How was last night?”

Scott saw her watching him and winked. She leaned back, one arm on top of the boards, and couldn’t help but smile.

“Great.”

“Really? So you liked him then? I’m so glad you hit it off!”

“Wait, what?” Tessa shook her head to try to clear it and focus back on the conversation. She turned around to rest on both elbows, facing distinctly away from Scott.

“You just said dinner with John was great?”

“Oh no, I… it was fine. Sorry, I’m a little distracted.”

“Just fine? Not great?”

Tessa could hear how disappointed Jordan was. She could also hear Scott skating up behind her.

“Yeah, he was nice, but he’s not for me.”

Warm arms wound themselves around her middle and she sunk back into him.

“Why did you say last night was great then?”

“Uhh.” Scott’s lips trailed up her neck and Tessa suddenly found any words at all hard to come by. Without even knowing the ongoing conversation, he was doing a pretty good job reminding her of why last night was great. Better than great, in fact. “Sorry sis, I’m actually still on the ice right now. Can I call you tonight?”

“It’s Jordan?” he whispered against her free ear.

Tessa nodded, ignoring the shiver that ran down her at the feel of his breath against her. He reached up and covered her hand with the phone to bring it in between them.

“Hey Jordan,” he said, turning the phone to speaker mode.

“Oh, hey Scotty. Sorry, didn’t mean to interrupt practice.”

“It’s fine. T misses you.”

She turned to look softly up at him. He leaned down and soundlessly pressed his lips to her forehead.

“I miss her too, but I’ll let you get back to it. Talk later Tess.”

“Bye,” they chorused at the same time.

Tessa ended the call before she let herself devolve into giggles. She poked him in the chest accusingly.

“You’re distracting.”

He pinned her hand against his chest and shrugged.

“Am I?”

“Yes. And we need to focus.”

“You’re right,” he deadpanned. “We should get serious. We only have one more day alone at the rink before people come back from vacation. We should use that time wisely.”

She quirked an eyebrow at him, waiting. He was getting at something.

Sure enough, he broke and smirked. “Let’s practice Carmen.”

She looked up at him through her eyelashes and broke her hand free of his to trail a finger down his chest. “But I thought you wanted to skate?”

“Fuck T,” he groaned, before crashing his lips against hers.

When they broke apart, he looked at her and sighed. “You’re going to be the death of me.”

She laughed. “You started it.”

“C’mon.” He offered his hand out to her and she took it immediately. “Let’s try to get some actual skating in. But maybe not Carmen. Midnight Blues?”

“Sure.”

They picked up speed as they skated in easy unison around the perimeter.

“So, did you tell Jordan that you don’t want any more dinner setups?”

He was trying for nonchalance, she could tell, but he didn’t quite get there.

“We didn’t get that far, but I’ll call her tonight and let her know I’ve already got everything I could want in my life as it is.”

She found herself being scooped up into Scott’s arms and skating was suddenly forgotten again. They eventually glided to a stop, otherwise preoccupied with each other, and Tessa ended up pressed up against the boards.

Sometime later, a throat cleared beside them.

Tessa gasped as Scott jumped back like they were teens getting caught by their parents… which was pretty much exactly what was happening to them.

“Well.” Patch looked back and forth between them while Tessa turned redder than a tomato. “I don’t think this constitutes keeping me company. I think next year you two should also take a post-Worlds vacation.”

**Author's Note:**

> Hey. This was supposed to take me one evening but as per usual, it didn't, and ended up twice as long as expected. I don't really know what this is, but hopefully you like it anyways. (Like, I didn't know how to tag this? Please someone tell me how to tag my own work cause I'm useless at it.) Also, this has a title more than one word long. Progress!
> 
> I exist over on Tumblr: https://obviouslynotadragon.tumblr.com/
> 
> xoxo


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